1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for improving and regulating the delivery of volatiles from a burning candle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system used to improve the delivery of volatiles from a burning candle while both minimizing volatile loss through thermal breakdown and increasing or controlling a molten pool size
2. Description of the Related Art
Fragrances, aromas, pesticides, and even anti-microbial compounds are commonly dispersed, into the atmosphere for a wide variety of reasons. Fragrances and aromas are used to improve the ‘feel’ or ‘mood’ of a location, and are often used to either improve an original emotional response or aid in the development of a specific emotional response. To these ends, fragrances and aromas are used in retail spaces to improve and focus customer sales, in emotional therapy (‘aromatherapy’) to soothe the psyche, in work places to invigorate the mind, and in medical therapy to soothe both the practitioner and the patient while improving healing rates in a stressful environment.
Pesticides and pest repellants are used to either remove or displace unwanted insects from a particular local. Pesticides are used in commercial, retail, and hospital environments to prevent insect damage and maintain property values. Pest repellants are also commonly employed in commercial, medical, and residential cleaning to prevent pest encroachment and provide an enjoyable environment in which to work, play, or rest.
Anti-microbial compounds are most commonly used to remove or destroy health-damaging microbes in hospitals and medical facilities, but may also be used in group retirement homes or individual residences to minimize disease transfer and improve health.
In sum, fragrances, aromas, essential oils, pesticides, insecticides, pest-repellents, and even the anti-microbial compounds noted above, while containing markedly different compounds with differing molecular weights, may be conveniently referred to as volatiles. These volatiles are stored in, and require release from, a source before they can be used effectively. Together, a volatile-containing source and a method for delivering or dispersing the same may be referred to as a system.
Many systems are available in the present market place for dispersing volatiles. These systems include aerosol canisters, gaseous ‘bombs’, oil heating pots, burning incense, electric or gas heating pads, burning torches, air filter/blowers, oil lamps, and scented candle systems.
Unfortunately, each of the current systems has detriments. As one example, aerosol canisters are a common way to deliver an aromatic or insecticide volatile, but the delivery time period is very short, the delivery range is necessarily narrow, and the volatiles delivered do not remain airborne and almost immediately stick to a surface. Additionally, aerosol canisters require repeated manual application to even attempt a continuous delivery stream of the selected volatile. The need for manual application and reapplication, effectively means that the atmospheric concentrations of volatiles delivered by aerosol canisters follows a sinusoidal curve from a maximum to a minimum.
As a second example, plug-in air fresheners operate as electric heating pads, which warm an adjacent volatile containing source, causing the volatile to disperse. Unfortunately, while this type of system may be used for long-duration volatile delivery, the system is not readily portable, must remain connected to an electrical source, and requires custom-made and non-interchangeable volatile sources. Most commonly, plug-in air fresheners available only for use in small confined spaces immediately adjacent a wall outlet.
As a third example, air filters/blowers operate as to blow air across a volatile or scent containing solid dispersed on a porous filter. Unfortunately, this type of system is similarly tied to an electrical source, is often very expensive, heavy, and requires a constant supply of expensive porous filters.
As a fourth example, scented candle systems contain selected volatiles dispersed in solid wax base material that acts as a source. This base material has a certain transition temperature (tg) at which the solid base material becomes liquid. During use, an operator lights a wick suspended in the solid base material. Heat, as high as 2000 degrees Celsius, immediately surrounds the burning wick, and begins to melt a portion of the base material, turning it into a liquid. As the base material melts, a pool of molten base material is defined from which the selected volatiles are released into the immediate atmosphere. Conventional scented candle systems are easily repositioned at need, are inexpensive, and may be used with commonly available scented candles having a regular shape.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a burning candle 11 includes a wax pool 12 and a candle flame 13. Candle 11 contains volatiles, which may include fragrances, essential oils, insect repellents, insecticides, and anti-microbial compounds. During use, the strongest outside air flows A1, A2 are drawn into candle flame 13. Candle flame 13, as hot as 2000° C., warms air flows A1, A2 and, in combination with the combined pressure from both air flows A1, A2 creates a broad and strong hot airflow as updraft A6. With these combined pressures, updraft A6 remains hot enough to damage and render ineffective most volatiles within several unit lengths of candle flame 13, as will be explained.
During use, thermal energy A5 radiates from candle flame 13 and creates wax pool 12. A plurality of volatiles volatilize from wax pool 12 along pathways A3, A4, are influenced by outside air flows A1, A2, pass adjacent or through candle flame 13, and are consumed in significant amounts and broken down into smaller non-effective or harmful elements. Only a small portion of volatiles directed along pathway A3 might randomly escape thermal consumption either directly in candle flame 13, or thereafter in updraft A6. Volatiles directed along pathway A4 are completely consumed.
In this conventional system, air flow A2 is just as strong as or stronger than air flow A1. Consequently, when the vector forces of air flows A1 and A2 are combined, an inward pressure vector towards candle flame 13 exists which substantially prevents volatile escape. Furthermore, since the pressure vectors of air flows A1 and A2 exist around the circumference of candle flame 13, a great deal of turbulence exists around candle flame 13 and within updraft A6. This turbulence further minimizes the distribution of any escaped volatiles beyond a narrow range adjacent burning candle 11. In other words, air flows A2, A1 are not efficiently harnessed to aid volatile movement away from candle flame 13 and are not effectively harnessed to distribute any volatiles that survive.
As noted above, conventional candle systems have many disadvantages that result in the unsatisfactory delivery of the volatiles, most commonly selected fragrances or aromas. The principal disadvantages of the presently known candle systems are unregulated volatile distribution and unpredictable volatile combustion, namely that a large percentage of the volatiles pass through the 2000° C. flame and are thermally broken down into smaller molecules and substances. Many of these smaller molecules are either harmful to others or have no fragrance or aroma value. A secondary cause of this unregulated combustion is the formation of irregular molten pools, many of which can only release the volatile compounds immediately adjacent to or directly into the flame, causing an even greater percentage of thermal breakdown.
As a result of the multiple disadvantages inherent with conventional delivery candle systems, manufacturers have been forced to respond by (1) improving the thermal resistance of the active volatiles placed in the base material, (2) (increasing the concentration of volatile components within the base material to an expensive and unnecessarily high level, (3) selecting volatile compounds which have non-harmful combustion components, (4) changing or limiting desirable volatile (fragrance) components requiring while increase in secondary non-desirable and expensive volatile components, (5) changing the wax base material to a more expensive substance, (6) changing the wick material to a more expensive one having a lower temperature of combustion, and (7) placing hoods above the wick in attempts to minimize wick flare-ups and re-radiate heat downward to minimize irregular molten pool shapes.
Unfortunately, available commercial candle based systems are only positioned to protect the candle flame from being blown out or for pleasing decoration or design purposes. Many candle hoods substantially decrease volatile performance because of inadequate design and use.
A candle hood, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,439, is narrower at the top than the bottom and the candle is retained within walls extending above the molten pool level. Consequently, volatiles that escape from the molten pool are forced into a narrow cone containing the hot combustion gasses, and are thermally consumed. Volatiles that do escape the hot combustion gasses experience the additional turbulence resulting from the pressure gradient between the wide bottom and narrow top openings of the hood. U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,439 also teaches a filter at the top of the hood that further limits volatile diffusion, increases volatile combustion risk, and drastically minimizes laminar air flow away from the burning wick by creating a backpressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,728 discloses a fragrance dispensing candle holder which requires an elaborate, and expensive to produce, annular shoulder portion and holder for a limited candle size. Consequently, this design is not interchangeable with multiple candles from differing manufacturers, is difficult to operate accurately, and does not adequately protect the burning wick from air disturbances.
Aromatic systems, similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,710, are expensive, require electrical power, and operate by warning a base wax. This type of aromatic system requires volatile compounds which are different from those conventionally used in candle systems, require expensive scientific review of each new volatile compounds, cannot be easily transported during use, and further requires a flameless heat source to operate effectively.
The candle holder taught by Lee in U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,454 only diminishes fragrance or volatile performance in a number of ways. A retainer element is required that extends above the molten pool level and prevents the air from picking up the volatiles and transporting them away from the flame before combustion, while at the same time increasing the odds of combusting any volatiles which do escape from the molten pool. The volatile and smoke exit rate is so slow as to prevent almost any real distribution of fragrance within a room. The Lee system further minimizes performance volatile distribution by trapping the volatiles and combustion gasses below a bowl (and cup) thus creating a positive downward pressure and increased turbulence to further minimize volatile distribution.